[Chapter Size: 3500 Words.]
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Third Person POV
Reach, 300 AC.
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"Lord Kevan Lannister, Ser Jaime Lannister, Ser Addam Marbrand, Lord Plumm, Lord Ferren, Lord Myatt, Ser Damon Brax, Ser Roland Lefford, Ser Harrion Farman, and Ser Martyn Swyft..." Jon spoke the name of each of the eleven men before him without making a single mistake, keeping a calm, analytical gaze on every one of them.
His voice did not waver; it was steady while carrying that same sense of calm, of complete control over the situation.
Even Kevan was surprised by that, silently staring at the enemy leader with one eyebrow raised. This was clearly a young man who was experienced and exceptionally capable. A pity they were mortal enemies, destined to destroy one another.
There was no room for admiration, even if it arose involuntarily. After all, they could hate him, curse him for the rest of their lives for all the harm he had caused his family from the moment he arrived at Lannisport, destroying part of the western lands in the process, while he still had no idea what had become of his wife, daughter, and sister.
But who else in the world could say they had built something like Jon had? Who else had created a kingdom in such a way? Not even Kevan's older brother, Tywin, who had always cherished the glory of the Lannister name, marked by an era in which he defeated a king, placed his daughter on the throne as queen, and made his grandchildren the future kings, taking House Lannister to the greatest height of glory in its history, before wars and crises began consuming everything.
Not even Tywin could accomplish something like that in his entire lifetime. And he would certainly dream of having an heir who achieved even ten percent of what that young man had built in little more than a decade.
"You've shown that you know all of us. It's almost as if we're being watched..." Kevan said in a calm tone while his men remained tense.
"Perhaps," Jon replied without denying it.
There was no point in lying. Besides, he was not in the habit of deceiving enemies like that, not when the truth was already obvious.
"Well, I imagine you have many questions. But that isn't the most important thing right now... or is it?" Jon asked calmly.
"No, it isn't," Kevan replied before adopting a more serious tone. "The problem is what you did at Casterly Rock. We know what happened in the Westerlands. Tell me... are my wife and daughter alive? Is my sister alive?"
"A knight was supposed to inform you of everything that happened after leaving King's Landing. Tywin had already been informed, but he ran into a serious problem on the road," Jon replied.
Of course, Tywin had sent a man to relay everything Jon had told him in King's Landing to the Lannister army. However, during the journey, the knight lost control of his horse. The animal stumbled, throwing the knight to the ground, and, in a complete frenzy, trampled his head until he was dead. It then fled, leaving the body abandoned in the middle of the road.
The knight's objective was to bring Jaime Lannister back to King's Landing, a precaution taken by Tywin himself out of fear that something might happen to his son... A mere coincidence that the man simply died, of course.
No one managed to warn King's Landing or the Lannister army itself. The attempt to deliver the message was completely futile.
"They're alive, if that's what you want to know," Jon spoke again, answering calmly. "They're being held as hostages. But I assure you, your wife and daughter have been treated very well. Your sister as well, although she's been sad ever since Casterly Rock was destroyed... But I'm not the kind of man who kills women and children, the way your brother liked to." He looked directly at Kevan, making sure he understood the implication.
Relief and concern appeared on both Lannisters' faces.
"So you're acting just like your grandfather," someone shot back. It was Jaime, wearing an ironic smile.
Kevan cast an irritated glance at his nephew. This was not the time to start an argument, especially when they were at such a disadvantage.
They were standing in the middle of the battlefield. At any moment, they could be struck by Arctic's long-range weapons. From that distance, their own archers would never be able to reach the enemy. And seeing all those suits of armor and the way every one of them sat confidently on horseback, Kevan was beginning to doubt whether his own men were even more skilled than the group before them in actual combat. Even the man who had cut off Jaime's hand was among them. He noticed that his nephew had grown tense the moment he saw him, staring at him with pure hatred.
"You dare speak of my king, cripple?" Trinsmy, the very man who had cut off Jaime's hand, growled. "You've already lost one hand. Want to lose your tongue too?"
Jon raised a hand, and his Kingsguard immediately fell silent. Trinsmy obeyed the signal without hesitation, while Jon turned his attention back to Jaime, who already looked ready to insult him again.
"You certainly saw what happened in King's Landing that night. Well... I had to take revenge for something the Westerlands did twenty years ago, didn't I?" Jon said.
The men stiffened.
"You destroyed our homes, you savage monster!" one of the assembled lords shouted, urging his horse a step forward as Arctic's men growled, rested their hands on their sword hilts, and the atmosphere grew even more tense.
Kevan cursed inwardly. Didn't that fool realize they were at a disadvantage? The King of Arctic had done nothing more than utter a few provocative words. Nothing that justified acting like this. But the hatred between the men had already grown far too great.
"Well, I really did destroy them..." Jon replied with the same calmness. "Just as you attacked King's Landing, killed countless innocent people in the process, destroyed, looted, raped, and then enjoyed every privilege over the last two decades, you were hailed as the heroes of Westeros... It was the Westerlands that won the war, not the rebels, but the faction that attacked the losing side before Robert Baratheon himself had even captured the city..." Jon paused briefly.
"I know how Pycelle helped Tywin, convincing the king to open the gates only to hand over the city itself... And what did Pycelle receive after all that? A sword taking off his head at Tywin's command after he sent him a story about Joanna's betrayal with the Mad King... What I did was simply give my answer, with a little interest."
The men of the West certainly exchanged glances upon hearing that, but Jon did not let them speak before continuing. "Your castles were destroyed, yes. But I did not act like my grandfather. I did not kill people. I emptied every castle before destroying it. My intention was never to destroy the Westerlands, but to leave a mark."
"And you think the Westerlands will kneel before you?" Lord Plumm asked, glaring at him with fury.
"Well, if they don't kneel, I'll find someone who will. Those people will take your lands. The castles can be rebuilt. Obviously, we have the resources for that in Arctic. And obviously, it won't be free. But they'll have enough resources to raise castles even larger, more beautiful, and more powerful than before..." Jon replied.
The men looked at one another. They did not know what to say in the face of that revelation. But Jon continued anyway, turning his eyes back to Jaime Lannister.
"Well, I find it interesting that you bring up my grandfather. I know exactly what happened that night in the throne room when you struck him from behind, running him through with your sword while he screamed for the wildfire to be ignited throughout the city, burning both the Lannister men and the people themselves. The Mad King truly believed he would survive somehow, by some miracle. Quite bizarre, I must say." Jon paused briefly before continuing.
"I also remember that Pycelle was poisoning his mind alongside the Citadel. I'm not justifying my grandfather's actions. He murdered my maternal grandfather and my uncle Brandon Stark, and he must pay for his crimes. But there were others who also fed his madness, all to make him increasingly unstable and show the realm just how dangerous the Targaryens were. It's no wonder you still rely on that propaganda to this day."
The Faith, the maesters, and a large part of the nobility that opposed Arctic truly invested in propaganda against Jon. They claimed he had inherited the same madness as his grandfather after discovering he was the Mad King's grandson. They spread rumors that he was an evil sorcerer and that he could be even more dangerous than Aerys.
Part of the population, especially in the Crownlands, had been heavily influenced by those stories. Jon would have to deal with that sooner or later, but this was not the time.
In any case, his attention remained fixed on Jaime. "You were called the Kingslayer all these years. But I admit that, on that night, you performed a heroic act."
Those words seemed to catch Jaime by surprise.
"You saved an entire city." Jon, however, was not finished, his tone turning much darker. "...But you also let my brother and Elia Martell be murdered when you should have been protecting them. I know my father approached you. I know he asked you to look after Elia and his children. But you failed..."
A sea of emotions became visible on Jaime Lannister's face as he looked at Jon, caught somewhere between shame and anger. Even Kevan turned his eyes toward his nephew, as did the other men.
"You were supposed to protect them. But instead of running to them after killing Aerys, you went and sat on that damned throne, didn't you?" Jon asked.
"I... I didn't know..." To his own shame, Jaime had to admit it. A heavy silence settled over the battlefield. "I wanted to save them. I never thought my father's men would do that. I wanted to save all three of them," he said.
"Well, it seems you were wrong," Jon said coldly. That man should have protected them.
His brother, even though Jon had never known him, was still his own blood. At some point, he should have been an older brother to Jon. A boy who, perhaps in another reality, would have ruled Westeros while Jon ruled everything beyond the Wall without interfering in the Seven Kingdoms. That could have been a very pleasant life as well.
Of course, Jon had no way of knowing whether that truly would have been their destiny, but he liked to imagine it would. In another life, he would have fought to ensure that both brothers ruled in peace: one south of the Wall and the other beyond it. In the end, Jon would still be the King of Arctic and would have been happy to let his older brother rule the other kingdoms.
But that could only happen in another reality. Not in theirs. In any case, he still needed to avenge a baby who had been murdered so cruelly.
"I imagine you've done something to Gregor Clegane. We haven't received any news from him since you took Seagard..." Kevan said, already assuming something had happened. He still had questions about what had taken place in the Iron Islands, but that hardly seemed relevant anymore, which meant the Ironborn had been conquered far more quickly than anyone had predicted...
Kevan then, ignoring the strange matter of the Ironborn, turned his attention to another point, one this king certainly should know about Darry. The Mountain had been stationed at that stronghold as a strategic position between the Riverlands and the Crownlands.
But they had all been caught completely by surprise after realizing that the ravens had disappeared one by one until none remained in the sky, and every castle's rookery now stood empty...
"Yes. He's with me. I captured him myself, and he's currently aboard one of my ships. I assure you, he will meet a very cruel fate," Jon replied, without needing to explain how he had captured the Mountain at Darry and brought him out to sea. After all, having remained in the Riverlands for more than a moon, it could be explained.
In any case, the fate awaiting the man who had murdered Elia and little Aegon would not be an easy one. Dorne would certainly want to take part in his punishment as well. Jon could negotiate that.
In any case, Jon turned back to Jaime. "Actually, there are only two... I mean, Rhaenys is still alive."
A long silence fell over the group. Even the men who had come to offend and insult him became completely absorbed in the conversation, forgetting, if only for a moment, everything Jon had done in the Westerlands.
"Wait..." Jaime murmured.
Jon continued, "She was rescued. She lives in Arctic."
Many thoughts crossed Jaime's mind at that moment. Even Barristan Selmy grew somewhat tense. He knew how much resentment Rhaenys still harbored toward him for surrendering to Robert Baratheon as a member of the Kingsguard, as she had made clear when she met him in person. She also blamed everyone for failing to save her brother, even though that had been practically impossible for Barristan Selmy, but she held an even harsher opinion of Jaime Lannister, the man who had been supposed to protect them.
Barristan could not blame her.
Jon had always been somewhat more open-minded. Rhaenys, on the other hand, although she had greatly improved the way she treated him, still carried many resentments.
Jaime remained silent for a few moments before showing a faint, peculiar smile. "I understand." That was all he said.
There were certainly many questions he wanted to ask. But another matter soon came to mind. That bastard girl from Dorne whom Jon had rescued... and who was now pregnant.
"What is your son's name?" he then asked.
"Jaehaerys," Jon replied.
'The next ruler of the Iron Throne,' Jon thought.
It was only fair that his eldest son with Rhaenys should be the heir, provided he proved worthy of it. Jon had no intention of placing upon the throne a descendant who, like so many kings before him, would only continue bringing ruin upon House Targaryen before the Seven Kingdoms.
Once he truly began ruling both Westeros and Arctic, he would not be just another king. He would establish rules where many of the failures of the past had existed and begin eliminating them. Of course, it would be impossible to correct everything, but Jon would implement enough laws and knowledge to prevent the common mistakes the kingdoms had repeated throughout history, such as the very war they were fighting at that moment.
"In any case, we should leave that matter aside. But know this, Jaime Lannister: I still condemn you for failing to protect Aegon and Elia," Jon said firmly.
He would certainly make sure everything Jaime had done to save the people of the city and prevent King's Landing from being consumed by wildfire was recorded. Even though the city had still descended into a nightmare of looting, murder, and rape at the time, Jaime had been a hero.
But that did not erase his other failure.
Jaime merely nodded before turning his gaze toward Barristan Selmy. "Is he a good ruler?" he asked.
Barristan, who had remained silent throughout the entire meeting, looked at the Kingslayer, his former brother of the Kingsguard. There was no longer as much disdain in his eyes as before. Jon had told the truth about what had happened that night and had also shared his opinion of Jaime Lannister.
"What lies beyond the Wall is the greatest proof of what he is capable of," Barristan Selmy replied.
He could not reveal the details, but the vivid images of Arctic still lingered in his mind. A city unlike any other in the world. Dragons and countless other creatures and races lived together there, with every aspect of a developed society flourishing in such an isolated place among a people once considered quite savage. Yet Arctic had become a thriving kingdom.
Jon had also built a barrier to protect all of humanity from the White Walkers, without the world ever knowing it had been saved by Arctic during that year of isolation, when the sun barely rose each morning before disappearing beyond the horizon once again.
They had fought the dead themselves, something even Barristan could no longer deny after witnessing it with his own eyes. At the same time, Jon possessed enough power to conquer the entire world if he so desired.
His people were prosperous, welcoming, and happy. None of the kings Barristan had ever served possessed the ability of that young man who had built a kingdom from the age of nine.
"He is the greatest man I have ever served, ser..."
"Even after what he did to the West?" Jaime asked, still wanting to hear the former Lord Commander's honest opinion.
"Yes. You have my word," Barristan Selmy replied firmly.
He did not believe there was such a thing as a perfect king. A king had to be resolute and, at times, harsh. Otherwise, he would only appear weak before those who wished to challenge him. Severe decisions were precisely what made people learn to respect him, and Jon had crossed no line. He had destroyed piles of stone, not burned people alive like his grandfather had, giving them the chance to escape with their lives.
"I understand," Jaime Lannister finally said.
Jon soon put the matter aside. Jaime still hated him and would most likely die on that battlefield. Jon had already personally passed judgment on the Kingslayer as well.
"In any case, there isn't much left for us to discuss, is there? The truth is that we're doomed to kill one another. Tomorrow, this little war between us will come to an end," Jon said, looking at the elder Lannister.
"We have the advantage. We have more men," Kevan said.
Jon merely smiled. "Do you? What a shame that number has recently become smaller, isn't it?"
"Cowardly tricks!" one of the lords bellowed. "You don't fight with honor, you savage!" another man shouted.
Jon looked at them with pure contempt. "Look at yourselves. I saw what you did in the Riverlands. I personally witnessed you massacring entire villages, ordinary people who didn't even have the right to defend themselves. And you want to speak of honor? Haven't I already mentioned what you did to King's Landing as well?"
He took a step forward. "Believe me, I'm being merciful. If I wanted to, I would have already destroyed every last one of you before you even got here." His voice was firm and commanding as he stared at each man dressed in red.
He truly could have destroyed that entire army with ease. Eragon alone would have been capable of slaughtering at least half of the enemy forces in a single attack. After that, it would simply be a matter of hunting down the survivors one by one. Within a few days, nothing would remain except small groups desperately fleeing through the forests, trying to escape the enormous dragon.
Jon was still granting them the honor of fighting instead of dying in such a pathetic manner.
And even so, they still dared to speak of honor. He merely shook his head before beginning to laugh. "Ha... Ha... Hahahahahaha!"
His laughter drew everyone's attention. His cold expression gave way to an amused smile for a few moments before he looked at them again.
"It doesn't matter what you say. You're going to die anyway. There was never any negotiation here. You already knew that."
He smiled once more. "But it was good to look upon the faces of the commanders who will die in tomorrow's battle."
Jon did not even wait for a reply. He turned his horse and began to ride away, his men following behind him.
Barristan Selmy, however, stopped for a moment and looked at Jaime Lannister.
"I wish you luck in this battle, Ser Jaime."
Jaime simply held his gaze, staring into those cold eyes that still carried contempt.
Before he could respond, another knight completely covered in armor approached. It was Trinsmy.
"In the next battle, I will kill you," Trinsmy said before riding away.
"Let's go back and rest for tomorrow," Kevan said.
Without another word, they returned to the camp.
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